What's the 411? - Blige, Mary J. (CD 1992)

In 1992, a force so strong and expressive swept the nation with her slightly off key pipes, passionate wails and involving music. A legend was in the making that year and while my R&B growth was staggered in Cowboy Country, Mary J. Blige was putting out one of the best R&B albums of 1990 s.I bought this album to enhance an already substantial R&B collection and was blown away that I had missed a singer that has come to be one that only draws respect and admiration from me. While Mariah Carey was enchanting the world with her perfect voice, Blige was making waves on the scene with her raw, unique style. Daring and bold, What's The 411? offers a stark and impressive collection of songs.

Blige uses instinct to express her ideas and each song seems spontaneous and alive. "Real Love" is energetic and arranged expertly showcasing her ability to use phrasing and inflection. Opening with a simple hi-hat, four beats leads into one of my all time favorite R&B songs. The lyrics flow very rapidly and the melody is bouncing and reflects yearning in a playful, enticing manner. When she opens on the bridge she never goes into the multi-range librettos like other divas but she gives it a low, alto intensity that makes you want to wag your head in soul ecstasy. Towards the end she makes each word hit you right in the middle of your chest and this is one of those songs that is impossible to ignore.

The remake of the Rufus and Chaka Khan classic Sweet Thing lives up to its title and in my humble opinion surpasses the original. Filled with a succulent brand of soul and a pounding vocal performance, she nails every single note to the wall and once again gives a singing showcase that any singer would aspire to (and from the looks of Sunshine Anderson and Faith Evans many have tried). The lyrics to this song are very passionate and she really gets to the heart of the song with her rendition. I feel like she brought something special out in this song that Chaka Khan never quite managed to capture.

Love No Limit is a song I did hear in my stretch in Wyoming, but I didn t really catch the beautiful arrangement of lyrics. She really uses rhythm to make this song stick in your head. The use of her voice is fantastic and on the verses she probably uses a total of five notes but she uses them to their full potential. The song has some great lyrics that discuss abandon and desire. Baby, I m in need of your love, you got that touch that I need so much and I am about to explode . Every thing in this song works together to make a very interesting and unique song.

Changes I ve Been Going Through is probably one of the most melodic songs on the album and is featured toward the end. A lovely melody line, flowing piano, and a wonderful hard beat make this song yet another gem on the album. I didn t hear this song when I first got the album because I was listening to the previously mentioned three over and over. Once I did hear this song I was enchanted with its dreamlike qualities and I love this song.

Reminisce kicks off the album musically with a gorgeous, moody R&B composition that includes some terrific back up and a gorgeous melody. Blige starts off acapella and I was immediately impressed with her sound and style when I heard this song. She does a lot of ad-libs against a gospel-flavored chorus. The verses include a melancholy melody line that discusses love lost and thinking back to the memories of the relationship.

The only part of the album I don't like is the answering machine interludes with people spouting about how much they love the album. Then there are other useless interludes. I am sure that comes from the often overblown Puff Daddy's influence(P. Diddy).

Make sure to check out the cameos by Busta Rhymes before he was encouraging us to break our neck and K-C for K-C & JoJo.
Overall, this is definitely a slice of R&B history and an impressive debut for this talented and emotional singer. Those of you who enjoy her current hit Family Affair should definitely check out this album to see where such a legend began. Other singers who are comparable to this one are Lauryn Hill, Faith Evans and to a much lesser degree Sunshine Anderson (Mary J. lite).